Since that day Maggie began to support Beth, everything was going well. Not only her sister finally accepted, that Beth wanted the baby, every one was also doing so now. Of course, they had never sayed such things to her like Maggie did, but they stopped staring at her belly and stopped trying to speak negative about that topic.
Daryl knew, that Beth would have made it, even without the supporting of her family, but he also knew, that she was feeling much better, since everyone was by her side.
Daryl was also thanking God, that Beth had appetite again, even much. On some days he was thinking, that she was just eating the whole time, but he was glad for that, because Daryl knew that Beth needed it. Because there were also some days, when Beth wasn't able to left the bed, because she was feeling ill again. On these days she just couldn't eat even one bite and if she did so, she was vomiting it out of her shaking body instantly.
Daryl didn't care one bit to eat less, so Beth could have a bigger portion, but of course he won't ever tell her so, because he knew, that she wouldn't want him to got to eat less because of her.
Everytime he was on a run, Daryl was looking for vitamins for Beth or eat least he was bringing her some fruits, to keep her and the baby healthy. Sometimes she was begging him for little crazy things to look for on his runs. Like peanut butter and chips or gingerbread and pretzel sticks. But Daryl didn't care, because he would do eveything for her.
Every few weeks Beth got examined by Denise and sometimes she wanted, that Daryl just shouldn't wait outside, instead he should come inside and stay next to her side. And so of course he did, but he had always to admin, that he was feeling a little nervous then. But the second he could feel Beth's warm hand in his shaking one and she squeezed it softly, he began to relax again, because everything will be good.
Daryl was still sleeping on the couch in her room and one evening, when Beth was stretching herself to get to the red book on top of the shelve, her sleeping shirt got up and Daryl could see the little knot for the first time. And the first thing he did was smiling to himself, because even in this crazy situation, it was still a wonder, just a wonder. A little baby, a life was growing inside her belly. It was so unbelievable.
But even when that look made Daryl happy at that moment, he had a bad nightmare following. He was dreaming about, that the baby was killing Beth from inside, that she had pain, that bad things happened to her, while she was giving birth, that the baby was looking like Negan, that the baby was evil. He was trying to help her in his dream, was trying to say her name, but nothing helped, Beth couldn't hear him, she was dying in his arms, again.
Suddenly Daryl woke up, because something was pulling him on his shoulder. "Daryl. Daryl wake up. It's just a nightmare. Daryl." A voice was calling for him, Beth's voice.
Jumpy Daryl straightened himself on the couch, while the tears were running down his face and he began to feel damn ill. Trying to catch his breath, Daryl could feel how Beth was moving her palms over his arms and she whispered "Shsh.. It's okay Daryl. It was just a nightmare. I'm here."
After minutes Daryl was finally feeling better again, so he could manage to look into Beth's worried eyes. "You feel better again?" She asked carefully. Slowly Daryl nodded his head and whispered "Sorry for waking you up."
An encouraging smile was in her face, when she told him "Don't be silly Daryl. I know, that you weren't doing it on purpose." Lovingly she stroked his sweaty hair out of his face. "What happened Daryl? What have you dreamed about?"
Daryl just couldn't say it out loud, because the pictures were still running through his head and only thinking about it made the tears burn in his eyes again. So he was just looking at her belly, even when he couldn't see the knot through the fabric of her shirt right now.
But even without words Beth understood about what he had dreamed. She didn't hesitate one second and crawled to him under the blanket. Daryl automatically leaned back then and Beth gently placed her head on his chest. For only Daryl the couch was tiny, but somehow the two of them managed to make themself comfortable at this little space.
Stroking with her thumb over Daryl's hand, Beth whispered into the darkness "I'm not gonna leave you Daryl. I won't ever. We have started this together, we will finish this together. You and me, forever." Before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep, Daryl kissed gently the top of Beth's head and whispered into her golden hair "Yeah, you and me forever."
Beth's pregnancy went well, she didn't have any problems, she even weren't feeling ill that often any more. So Daryl could go with a good conscience on longer runs, to find stuff for the baby. But it wasn't that easy like he had believed.
It was the third run and all what he had found so far was a little rattle today. Powerless and disappointed he dragged himself upstairs to Beth's room. She was sitting on top of her bed, on her lab a pillow and she was holding a block in one and a pencil in her other hand. "Hey girl." Daryl welcomed her and he just couldn't hold back the stupid smile, which was playing in his face, when he saw her again after five days on a run.
Leaving the block and the pencil careless behind, Beth stood up and almost ran into Daryl's direction. "You are back Mr. Dixon." She said with a smile in her face too, while she threw her arms around his neck. Daryl pulled her closer to his chest, when he whispered into her ear "I have missed you."
"We have missed you too." Beth told him, while she ran her hands up and down her always growing belly. Looking up at him again, she took his already waiting hands in hers and stroked them lovely with her thumb. "You alright? Was everything good?"
Daryl nodded, while he was answering her "Yeah, I'm good, but I haven't found anything again. It almost looks like, that the people near hadn't any babies or the things are already gone. It's hopeless."
Hearing the disappointment in his voice, Beth leaded Daryl to her bed. When they both were finally sitting on the soft mattress, she told him again, like after the first two runs, where he had't found anything "It's okay Daryl. We still have enough time. I know, that you are trying your best and I'm sure that you will find something soon."
Daryl began to smile when he remembered about the one thing inside his pocket. "I have already found something. It isn't much but.."
"Oh Daryl, it's perfect. Thank you so much. I'm sure the baby will like it too." Beth said with a high voice, while she was looking at the tiny rattle in her palms. Seeing her happy smile and the big, shiny eyes, got Daryl into a happy mood too. "At least it's something." He told her. "No Daryl. It's everything. You are everything."
Feeling a little embarrassed Daryl tried to change the subject. "What were you doing here sweetheart?" Beth's smile got even wider and her eyes were looking a little dreamily, when she told him "I don't know, if it's really true or maybe I have just imagined it, but Daryl I think, that today I have felt the baby kicking inside me or the first time."
It was a tear of joy, which was running down Beth's cheek, while she couldn't stop smiling. Taking her into his arms, Daryl whispered "That's great sweetheart." Looking over her shoulder, he could see, that she had written some female's and male's name down on the block. "You made a list for the name?" Daryl asked her curious.
"Yeah. I know it's early, but after feeling the baby for the first time today, I just had the need to write some down." Still smiling Beth took the block on her lab and asked him with a happy voice "What are thinking about Anne and Simon? These are my two favourites."
Smiling back at her, Daryl answered seriously "Anne Greene, Simon Greene. They sound well. I like them too." But even when he didn't want to, Daryl tried inside his head, how the two names would sound with his surname.
He was feeling about this more often in the last time. Since the prison, no probably since the farm, he was in love with this beautiful girl in front of him. He already had his chance to tell her so back at the funeral home, but he had failed, of course he had. Daryl probably won't ever tell Beth, that she was his worship since the beginning, at least he won't tell her now. Beth had other problems yet, he just couldn't tell it her.
Because Daryl was sure, that she wasn't feeling like he did. It would make everything complicated and that wasn't what Beth needed at the moment. She needed him, as a friend. Not more, not less. But Beth was making Daryl a hard time, because just with how the beautiful person she was.
Especially when the two of them were laying in the same bed. How her body was pressing against his, how their legs were tied up into each other, when her sweet butt was so close to his middle, when she was laying on her side, how they were holding hands the whole night long, till they were waking up next morning.
Daryl had also to admin that he had noticed, of course he had, that her breasts got bigger. How the little hills were looking out of her shirt made his mouth water all the time. Daryl also had to admin, that Beth's pregnancy and how her body was changing, turned him on so bad. Thank God till today Beth had never noticed his hard one under the sheets. Daryl just didn't know how he would explain that to her.
After having soup for dinner, Daryl was already laying on his couch, trying to fall asleep, while Beth was still reading in her book. He almost frightened, when Beth suddenly said with an excited voice "Daryl, it did it again. The baby was kicking me again."
"That's great girl." He answered her with a proud smile. "Come here." Beth told him, but Daryl hesitated. "Come over to me Daryl, maybe you can also feel it." Beth repeated.
Slowly Daryl began to crawl out of his blanket and finally he lowered himself next to Beth on the bed. Because he didn't know, if he had understood her right, he didn't move, till Beth took his hand and placed it carefully on top of her bare belly.
Feeling her bare, soft skin under his palm made Daryl's heart beating faster and even without knowing it, he stopped breathing, because this moment was almost magical for him. He let his hand on top of her belly for minutes, none of them said anything, because in this moment there weren't any words necessary.
But nothing happened and even when Daryl didn't want to, he took his palm finally away from Beth's warm skin. "It will probably take some time, till it moves again. You can lay next to me meanwhile, if you want."
Feeling how his mouth already began to water, Daryl nodded and crawled carefully to Beth under the warm sheets. This time he placed his hand on top of Beth's soft belly instantly without her help. He just needed it to feel her skin under his palms.
They were already laying like that since minutes, but nothing happened. Daryl was just thinking, that maybe only Beth was able feel the baby, when she said "Can I ask you something Daryl?" "Everything you want sweetheart."
"When the baby will finally be here, I really want to try to be the good mother for it, but I think, that when it will get older, it will ask about its father. Maybe it will search for someone, who would be a father role for it. I know, that I demand much and you don't have to do it, if you don't want to, but Daryl.. I think you would be a great father for the baby."
Yeah, this moment was really magical. His skin still on top of hers, Daryl answered serious "I will do it, of course, I will." Maybe because of the fact, that Daryl was still feeling damn bad, because he had killed the baby's father with his own hands, made him say that. Because he was still feeling guilty and he wanted to make something good for the baby, after what he had done to its father.
But also because Daryl won't ever be able to say no to the beautiful girl, who was laying next to him. He would do anything to make her happy, to safe her. And maybe because Daryl began to like that baby, even when it gave him still nightmares.
"Thank you so much Daryl." Beth whispered and Daryl could feel her breath against his neck. Before he leaned down and placed a lovingly kiss on her forehead, Daryl whispered "You will gonna be the best mama in the world."
In the second Daryl's lips were touching Beth's forehead, he could feel a soft kick against his palm. "Daryl, have you felt it?" Beth asked him with tears in her eyes. "Yeah, I have felt the little Anne or Simon." Feeling his own tears burning in his eyes, Daryl placed his head on top of Beth's. "You were right, it feels magical."
Next morning Daryl woke up with his head deep inside Beth's golden locks. Her back was pressing against his chest, while his hand was still resting on top of her bare belly. And Daryl just couldn't act otherwise, than smiling proudly.
Everything was good, Beth and the baby were healthy, Denise told her by her last examined, that she was about her twentiest pregnancy week. Beth still ate enough for two and Daryl was thanking God, that she hadn't any nightmares about Negan since weeks. Just in a few days he wanted to go on a run again, hopefully to finally find some stuff for the coming baby.
It was in the middle of a chilly spring night, when Daryl could hear Beth whispering his name. If he wouldn't have such a light sleep, he probably wouldn't have hear it, because it was more a painfully, quiet whimper. Daryl's eyes snapped open then, Beth probably had a nightmare again.
Before he could even ask her what had happened, Beth whimpered his name again, even painfuller now, almost begging. Getting quickly on his feet, Daryl whispered "Beth. I'm here sweetheart."
Sinking on his knee next to her, Daryl carefully stroked his hand over her sweating forehead and back her head. It probably was a damn scary nightmare. Because he couldn't see her face, Daryl lighted up the lamp next to Beth on the table and the look he got made him speechless.
Beth was laying there like a shooting deer, her knees against her chest, her arms around her legs, she was trembling and sweating all at the same time. The tears were breaking out at the corner of her eyes, while she was pressing them together, like she was in pain. No, something was wrong. She really was in pain.
Placing his hand on Beth's cheek, Daryl asked her worried "Sweetheart what's wrong? What happened?" It needed some seconds, till Beth was able to answer him. "The baby." Shocked even panicked Daryl moved his palms stronger against her cheek, while he asked "What's wrong with the baby?"
Just then Beth opened her eyes for the first time and the look Daryl got broke his heart. Her eyes were telling him more, than any words in this world. Carefully and with shaking hands Daryl took the blanket away, which was covering Beth's painfully distorted body.
He gasped loud and stared with an opened mouth and widened eyes at the big blood spot on Beth's middle. Daryl was half in trance, but Beth's worried voice brought him back to life "Daryl why is there so much blood? The baby."
Getting some life into his limbs again, Daryl took Beth carefully but quickly up in his arms. "It's okay sweetheart. Everything will be good, it's okay." He said to her, while he opened the door, carried her downstairs and out on the dark street and into the direction of Denise's house.
Beth was holding up herself by Daryl's neck, while her nails were pressing inside his skin. But Daryl didn't care, because all what mattered now, was bringing her quickly to the doctor. Beth had much pain, because she was whimpering the whole, while she was hanging by his neck.
Denise was at the door in seconds and stared at Daryl, who was holding crying Beth with the big, dark blood spot in his arms. Quickyl she let them inside and Daryl laid Beth carefully on the next bed. One more time he stroked over her sweating forehead and said still half in shock down to her "It's okay sweetheart. Everything will be good."